Draft attachment for vehicles.



LEWIS VOIOHT, OF BOULDER, COLORADO.

DRAFT ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Application filed April 17, 1905. Serial No. 255,975.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEw s VOIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boulder, in the county of Boulder and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Attachments for Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had' to the acco'mpa nying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved draft attachment for vehicles, being especially adapted for use in connection with wagons of the heavier type which are drawn by horses.

By virtue of my improvement the draft or power is applied directly to the forward axle rather than to the tongue through the instrumentality of the doubletree, as in ordinary constructions.

By virtue of this improvement I obviate or prevent the jar and swinging of the tongue, which in ordinary constructions occur when one of the wheels meets an obstruction or is raised for any reason.

Another advantage of a draft appliance of this character is that on a turn the animal on the outside aids in pulling the wagon around instead of pushing against the tongue to accomplish the turning movement.

Another feature of my invention is that a loaded wagon can be more easily moved, because the draft is applied directly to the axle, and there can be no seesaw movement of the draft-animals.

Briefly stated, my improved mechanism consists of draft-rods connected with the front axle on opposite sides of the tongue, the

. swingletrees being connected with the outer extremities'of these rods and connecting-rods interposed between the two side rods. The connecting-rods cross at their centers and have their extremities respectively connected with the front and rear extremities of the side rods.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, as well as the function it is intended to perform, 1 will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

' usual manner.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward running-gear of a vehicle with my improved draft appliance attached, a portion of one wheel being broken away in order to better disclose the features of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the ground-wheels removed and the axle shown in section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View of the front axle, illustrating the connection of my draft attachment, the forward portions of the rods being broken away.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the front axle 6,the whe'els,journaled thereon; 7, the reach, connected with the axle in the usual manner; 8, the tongue; 9, the fifth-wheel, and 10 the doubletree, connected with the tongue in the usual manner, as shown at 12.

To the opposite extremities of the front axle, at a short distance from the inner extremities of the wheel-hubs, are attached clips 13, held in place by U-bolts 14 or in any other suitable manner. These clips 13 extend forwardly, where they terminate in S-hooks 15, with which the rear extremities of parallel side rods 16 are connected. The forward extremities of these rods pass through depending guidelinks 17, connected with the opposite extremities of the doubletree. The side rods 16 pass below the doubletree, and they protrude through the links far enoughto permit the connection therewith of the swingletrees 18. Connected with the hooks 15 of the clips are rods 19, which extend forwardly diagonally of the tongue, the two rods crossing beneath the tongue in the rear of the doubletree, their forward extremities being connected with the side rods in the rear of the doubletree extremities in any suitablemanner, as by interlocking eyes formed in the connected parts. These cross-rods form braces between the side rods,'whereby the latter are maintained parallel, or approximately parallel, at all times.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved draft attachment will be readily understood. The draft-animals are hitched to the swin letrees in the There is no pull, however, on the doubletree but the pull is directly on the side rods connected with the axis, as aforesaid, the said rods being spaced by the intervening combination with the front axle, of parallel side rods extending forwardly from the axle on opposite sides of the tongue, and intervening spacing-rods leading from the rear extremities of the side rods to the forward portion of the opposite side rods, the spacing-rods being crossed between the side rods, and the for-' ward extremities of the side rods being fashioned for hitching purposes a doubletree for supporting the side rods and provided with depending links through which the side rods pass and in which they slide freely, substantially as described.

2. In a draft attachment for vehicles, the combination with the forward extremity, of clips connected with the axle on opposite sides of the center, side rods connected with the clips and extending forwardly for hitching purposes a doubletree for supporting the side rods and provided with depending links through which the side rods pass and in which they slide freely, and rods interposed between the side rods and having their rear extremities connected with the said clips and their forward extremities with the forward portions of the side rods, the intermediate rods being crossed as described.

the said extremities of the side rods protruding through the links for hitching purposes, and suita le means interposed between the side rods for spacing the latter and maintaining them parallel or approximately parallel for the purpose set fort 4. In a draft ap liance for vehicles, the combination with t e front axle, of parallel side rods and intermediate spacing-rods crossed between the side rods, the rear extremities of both sets of rods being connected with the axle, while the forward extremities of the crossed rods are connected with the forward portions of the side rods, the latter, however, extending beyond the connection for hitching purposes a doubletree for supporting the side rods and provided with depending links through which the side rods pass and in whichthey slide freely, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS VOIGHT.

Witnesses:

JAMES C. HAUKINS, WILLIAM S. BELLMAER. 

